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Some jackets were specificically designed to be a Fauntleroy suit. This was primarily the classic cut-away jackets. Cut-away jackets became very popular in the 1860s. At the time, however, they were not worn with fancy blouses. The cut-away jacket declined in popularity during the 1870s. This changed in the mid-80s when Mrs, Burnett publidhed her book and poplarized the Little Lord Fauntleroy style. This revived the popularity of the cut-away jacket. The small cut-away jacket was perfect to show off all the details of the the fancy Fauntleroy blouses that rapidly became popular. The classic Fauntleroy jacket was a small cut-away velvet jacket. The jackets were cut in many different ways. They differed in the angel of the cut and how much of the blouse was exposed. The jackets also has both sharp and rounded corners at the waistline. Theu also varied in length. Commonly they were short enough that the Fauntleroy bloused actually blouced out between the bottom of the jacket and the waitline of the pants. The jackets also varied in size. Some were dominated the outft. Others were quite small and almost engulfed by the fancy blouses. Of course this was also affected by the blouse. Some of the jackets were plain and others were heavily embroidered. Some had pockets. They were worn modstly open, but has different types of attachment at the top. The classic suit was done in velvet, but other materials were used. This was both to create less expensive suits and an effort to use lighter-weight jackets for the summer. Some mothers preferred, however, to just let the boys wear the blouse without a jacket during the summer. This is probably why most of the Fauntleroy suits we see had dark, often velvet jackets. We also normally see younger boys wearing these classic Fauntleroy jackets. They were not exclusively worn by younger boys, but the vast majority of portraits we see were worn by pre-school boys.
Some jackets were specificically designed to be a Fauntleroy suit. This was primarily the classic cut-away jackets. We also see the term 'bolero jacket' being used, but this is more of a modern term. Cut-away jackets became very popular in the 1860s. We see some in the 1850s, but they were particularly notable in the 1860s. At the time, however, they were not worn with fancy blouses. The cut-away jacket declined in popularity during the 1870s. This changed in the mid-80s when Mrs, Burnett publidhed her book and poplarized the Little Lord Fauntleroy style.
The Fauntleroy Craze revived the popularity of the cut-away jacket which became the classic Fauntleroy suit jacket. This is the jacket that made up the classic Little Lord Fauntleroy suit. It is the suit that was a at the heart of the Fauntlertoy Craze (1885-1905). The small cut-away jacket was perfect to show off all the details of the the fancy Fauntleroy blouses that rapidly became popular. That was something adoring mothers did not want to cover up. And unlike other jackets, it did not cover up the elaborate blouses. The classic Fauntleroy jacket was a small cut-away jacket. They actually look like minature jackets, especially when paired with Fauntleroy blouses which had massive ruffled collars and gigantic floppy bows. Notice how small the cut-away jacket worn by the younger boy here looks (figure 1). The jacket and pants almost always matched. Most were dark suits done in velvet. Other jackets used in Fauntleriy suits were done in a varuety of materails, these cut-away Faubtkeriy jackets jackes were commonly velvet. While they were wirn to shiw iff the vkouse, nist cinntected at the top with buttons or tabs. The tabs were used so as to extend the space between the sides if the jacket. This of course increased the area to show off the blouse.
These jackets were cut in many different ways. They differed in the angel of the cut and how much of the blouse was exposed. The jackets also has both sharp and rounded corners at the waistline. Theu also varied in length. Commonly they were short enough that the Fauntleroy bloused actually blouced out between the bottom of the jacket and the waistline of the pants.
The jackets also varied in size. Some were dominated the outft. Others were quite small and almost engulfed by the fancy blouses. Of course this was also affected by the blouse.
Fauntleroy jackets tended to be very plain with very little decoration. The dcoration for which the Fauntleroy suit is known came from ehe fancy blouses and floppy bows. We see some jackets with embrodery, sometimes heavily embroidered, commonly the velvet jackets. This does not show up in the photograohic record because the embriodery ws done in the same color as the jacket. This was often black, but there were other dark colors. These were commonly heavy weight suits, suitable for winter wear, although they were also worn in the summer. There were also Fauntleroy suits done in lighter-weight fabric, often in light colors. Like the dark velvet jackets, they were plain and not heavily decorated. We do see some with decorative piping. Notice the white piping on the younger boy's jacket here (figure 1). The jackets had a range of differences. Many were tiny. Often you can hardly see the jackets because they are virtually obewhealmed by the hghly decorative fauntleroy blouses. Other jackets were larger like the one the older boy here is wearing. The tiny jackets were for the most part worn by the younger boys. We can also see that here. Some of the jackets had pockets which was also part of the sylistic variations.
They were worn mostly open, but has different types of attachment at the top. Here the blouse and floppy bow covers up the top attachment (figure 1).
The classic suit was done in velvet, but other materisls were used. This was both to create less expensive suits and an effort to use lighter-weight jackets for the summer. The lkighter wegnt material was often done in lighter colors.
Some mothers preferred, however, to just let the boys wear the blouse without a jacket during the summer. This is probably why most of the Fauntleroy suits we see had dark, often velvet jackets.
We also normally see younger boys wearing these classic Fauntleroy jackets. They were not exclusively worn by younger boys, but the vast majority of portraits we see were worn by pre-school boys. Older boys as we see her might wear Fauntleroy blouses, but with diffrent types of jackets. Here the older boy wears an open-front jacket (figure 1).
Color is a problem as all the photography in the 19th century was black and white. And even in the 20th century, color photographu did not become common until the 1970s. The photography record tells us that most Fauntleroy suits were dark. Probably mist of the ark suits were blackm but we know that not all were. Paintings and mailorder catalog text tekkus thatthere werecdark shades og blue, green, and bugandy. Weare less sure about the lighter-colored summer suiys. we know that some wregrey, but we are unsure about other colors.
Almost all the Fauntleroy cut-saway jackets we have found were flat/solid colors without any patterns, t least patterns that are easy to see. Weme were done in extensive embroidery in the same color as the jacket. We ee quite a number with varying anounts of ebroidery. Someyimes the jacket emvroiderrt was continued on the pants. This might be considered more decoration than pattern as the fabric did not come in the emroidery. While also all the jackets we have found or flat colors, we have found a few jackets done in patterns. It his case the pants were dome in flat colors. A good example is an unidentified Dakota boy in the 1890s. He has a boldly striped jacket, looking rather like a blazer.
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